Isanti Soil & Water Conservation District

Serving the Residents and Conserving Our Natural Resources

Isanti SWCD

Our Mission

The Mission of the Isanti Soil and Water Conservation District is to provide guidance, to inspire action, and to bring innovative resources to the table so that people can become leaders in keeping land and water healthy for future generations.

Natural Resource Program & Outreach Coordinator Job Opening

This position is the lead point of contact for the development and implementation of outreach and education with a goal of enhancing relationships and increasing buy-in leading to increased awareness and behavioral change.

Apply by July 4th, 2025 at 3:00 PM.

Learn More

Natural Shoreline Awards

Nominate a Property to Recognize Natural Shorelines!

The Natural Shoreline Award Program recognizes beautiful lakeshore, riverfront and streamside properties that incorporate native flowers, shrubs, trees and plants. Award-winning properties can be located in Chisago, Isanti, Ramsey or Washington Counties. Winners will receive a sign to commemorate their win and get recognized by their local SWCD.

Enter a Property

Forestry Workshops

We have two forestry events coming up.

Protecting your Woodlands Workshop will take place June 14th from 9am - 12pm at Prarie Restorations Inc. in Princeton. Experts will speak about buckthorn management, emerald ash borer prevention and management, and available forestry resources. You must register to attend by calling 320-983-2160.

A Forestry Open House will be help July 10th from 4pm to 7pm at the Sunken Ship Brewery in Princeton. Stop by anytime to get your questions related to forestry, woodland management, and tree health answer by experts.

Alum Treatment Completed on Blue Lake

Alum Treatment Success on Blue Lake!

The Isanti SWCD secured a Clean Water Fund Grant to perform an alum treatment on Blue Lake that was done on September 11th. This is the second and final treatment following the first half-dose that was applied in 2022. An alum treatment was identified as the next most logical and cost-effective way to protect Blue Lake and address the high phosphorus levels in the lake. The treatment would not be possible without the Blue Lake Improvement District, who provided a necessary 25% grant match and worked with the Isanti SWCD to make this a reality. Going forward, the Isanti SWCD will continue to protect the health of Blue Lake by completing conservation projects in the area surrounding the lake.

Learn About the Alum Treatment

New No-Till Drill Available to Rent

Rent the No-Till Drill

We are excited to announce that a new no-till drill is now available for rent! This new drill is significantly more reliable and is also equipped to plant cover crops and prairie seedings. The no-till drill is available to anyone seeding a parcel of land within a 20-mile radius of the city of Isanti, or within 30 road miles.

The rates to rent the drill are: Inside Isanti County: $15 per acre with a $175 minimum.

Outside Isanti County: $20 per acre with a $275 minimum. In addition, a $161.81 damage deposit is due at the time of rental. If the machine is returned in unsatisfactory condition such that the seed boxes require cleaning, a $100.00 cleaning fee will be added to the rental fee.

If you are interested in renting the no-till drill, call Matthew at 763-689-3271.

Our Green Lake Mission

Progresses Made to Improve Green Lake's Water Quality

We have made a lot of progress towards our goal of getting Green Lake off the impaired waterbodies list! 2023 was the third year of a 16-year grant program to improve the health of Green Lake. The first phase of the grant is finding projects that have a direct impact on the lake.

We have made a short storyboard that will take you through the progress made on Green Lake.

View the Storyboard

Preserving a Private Paradise in Isanti County

When Barry Springborn gazes out of his office window, he sees more than just his property; he sees a thriving ecosystem teeming with life. Over the years, Barry has transformed his land into a haven for wildlife, carefully restoring native prairies and forests. Now, with a 50-acre conservation easement through the Forestry Legacy Program, Barry and his wife, Grace, are ensuring that their land's natural beauty will remain intact long after they have stopped admiring it.

Read Full Story

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July 2025

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13	14	15	16 Board Meeting SWCD Board Meeting 09:00 Cambridge USDA Service Center, 110 Buchanan St. N., Cambridge Minnesota Date : Wednesday, 16 July 2025	17	18	19
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For the latest happenings at the Isanti SCWD, please view or download our newsletter.

2024 was a busy year for Isanti SWCD. Click here to read all about our most recent conservation programs and priorities. We would like to send out a special thank you to all our Federal, State, and Local partners who support our mission to preserve, protect, and enhance water quality, soil, and other natural resources in Isanti County. We’re already planning great things for 2025, including having a new no-till drill and a tree planter available to rent, building upon our Isanti County farmer-led group, lakeshore restorations on Blue Lake and Skogman Lake, and a wetland restoration to protect Green Lake.